Detachable tttetiit



I. W. SMITH.

DETAICHABLE HEEL'.

APPLICATION FILED-APR.25| I9I.

1k, 3 l 3 ,O26 .Patented Aug. 12, 111919.

0.62.04@ A Y y W) IDBI' WILLIAM SMITH, 0F CBICAGQ, IIaIvni'OIS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12,1919.

Application med April 25, 1918. Serial No. 230,687.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLIAM SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and` .5 State of Illinois, have invented certain ,new and useful Improvements in Detachable Heels, of which the following isa speciiication. My invention relates to improvements in detachable heels, and has for its object the production of a device of this character which will permit of ready and expeditious attachment or detachment and which, when detached, will be held iirmly in position. A

still further object is the production of a.

heel, as mentioned, which will be of durable and economical construction and highly efcient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. i

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specilication, and in which;

Fig. 1 is a partial sectional side elevation of the rearward portion of a shoe equipped with a heel embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 a partial sectional perspective lview of the heel detached.

Fig. 3 a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

f 'g'. 4 a bottom plan view of the heel,

a5 and Fig. 5 a detail `section taken on substantially line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

The preferred :form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a heel 40 body 6 of rubber or other suitable resilient material. Embedded in the heel body 6 ad- 4 jacent'the upper side thereof-and adjacent the periphery of the heel body is an annu- Y lar member 7 formed of wire. Also embedded in the heel body 6 adjacent the upper side thereof is a substantially centrally positioned resilient cross piece or plate 8, the ends of which embrace the opposite sides of the member 7, being preferably wrapped around the same as clearly `seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

Secured rigidly to the plate 8 is a screw 9 Vwhich projects exteriorly from the upper side of the heel body substantially centrally thereof, said screw being adapted, in the application of thecheel to a shoe, to pierce or b e screwed into the rearward or heel porf tion of the shoe as clearly seen in Fig. 1.

The .heel body 6 is of such form that nor- Amally the upper side thereof is concave and the under side thereof convex. This being so, when the screw 9 is threaded into a shoe, 1n applying the heel'thereto, the plate 8 will be caused to flex upwardly thereby bringing the central portion of the upper surface of the heel body into contact with the under surface of the shoe. This will result in the plate 8 being placed under compression, the compression or resiliency of the plate serving to constantly force the peripheral portions of the heel into snug engagement with the under side of the shoe. Thus a snug connection between the heel and the shoe will always be maintained. 4 n

lin order to lock the heel body against accidental retrograde rotation after' the heel body has been applied, the member 7 is formed at the front and the rear of the heel body, with upwardly extending exteriorly projecting lugs 10, which are adapted, when the heel body is in proper operative position, upon the shoe, to engage with sockets 11 formed in the under side of the shoe as clearly seen in Fig..1. To further 'aid in holding the heel body against retrograde rotation on the upper `side thereof is formed a net work of furrows, such net work insuring a rm and close connection between said surface of the heel body and the adjacent v surface of the shoe. v

Embedded :inthe under Vsurfaceof the heel body 6 are two `plu l2 of rictional mamrial formed prefera ly of canvas or fabric wrapped in 'spiral formation and impreg- :natedwith :rubber or other waterproof composition. .Said plugs are adapted to engage airmly with the ground or pavement and thus prevent slipping of the user when the' heel is in use. The plugs 12 are spaced apart so as to leave a transversely extendingstrip 13 between the same of rubber or other flexible material vof which the body of the heel is formed. This transversely extending flexible portion 13 permits of the heel being iiexed along this line lto facilitate attachment of the same tothe shoe. The flexing 'results from holding the heel between the thumb and the two first fingers of the hand and flexing the heel in a manner such that the lugs 10 will be in a plane below Athe central portion of the upper portion of the heel. The heel is Aheld in this flexed condition tion 13 o fexible material between the nonflexible plugs 12 is highly important.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eifect, this is capable of variation and modication without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

therefore, do not wish to 'be limited to the` precise details of construction set forth, .but desire to availmysel of such variations and modications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a shoe, a heel body having a normally concave upper surface; an annular member embedded in said heel body adjacent the periphery thereof; a re-` silient cross piece' embedded in said heel n body and having its ends connected with said annular member; and an exteriorly extending screw connected with said cross piece and removably securmg said heel body to said shoe, and binding said cross piece Y under the compression, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a shoe, a heel body Leiaoae having a normally concave upper surface; an annular member embedded in said heel body adjacent the periphery thereof; a resilient plate embedded in said heel body and having its ends connected with said annnlar member; and an exteriorly projectingl screw connected with said plate and removably securing said heel body to said shoe and binding said plate under compression, substantially as. described.

3. In combination with a shoe, a heel body having a normally concave upper surface; a wire embedded in said heel body adjacent the periphery thereof; a resilient cross piece embedded in said heel body and having its ends connected with said wire, and an exteriorly projecting screw engaged with said cross piece and removably securing said body to said Shoe and binding said cross piece under compression, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a shoe, a heel body having a normally concave upper surface; an annular member embedded in said heel body adjacent the periphery thereof; a resilient plate embedded in said heel body and having its ends connected with said annular member; and exteriorly projecting lugs on said annular member at opposite sides thereof for engagement with lug sockets provided in the adjacent side of said shoe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thls specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN WILLIAM SMITH. 

